What is USCAP Culture?

[flyerthom]

Some of this is from another thread, but the issue here is...

WHAT IS CAP Culture?

Something found in petri dish in the HSO's 'fridge?

[DeputyDog]

Paragraphs are your friends...use them.

No they do not, and if you look at my post in response to RiverAux's last posting about being able to maintain ES, that is what we were discussing.

No, what you were discussing was the implications arising from:

What would be the result of a complete split between CAP and the USAF?

...since CAP is more than ES, you have to look at what would happen from all three missions.

An organization devoted to ES has no need for a cadet or AE program.

However, thanks to our congressional charter, this organization cannot exist without AE and CP. So unless you wanted the organization known as the CAP to be dissolved, you would have to do all three missions as an organization.

One of the things I would do if I were suddenly made CAP NC is to focus the organization and to determine what we are really about.

Our charter has already done that for us. We are about CP, AE and ES. Organizationally, we must do all three. Individually, you can do just one or two.

Cadet programs and the like can be filled by ROTC, etc.

Uh, no. I was in both when I was a cadet, and the programs are nothing alike. Apples and oranges.

I just think ES provides the most bang for the buck and disagree that the AF only keeps us around for the cadet program when we perform between 85 and 95% of SAR missions tasked by them (number varies depending on source of statistic).

I agree with you that ES is the most bang for the buck....but is it the Air Force that decides our status?

[DeputyDog]

WHAT IS CAP Culture?

Fact is, even though there is a USAF auxiliary aspect, there is a growing movement (based on diffusing elements from all services and non-prior service CAP Officers, toward an evolving CAP culture.  CAP Distinctive uniforms, growing "traditional observances" at encampments and lots of local practices.

It is not really a dilemma, since there seems to be no real (meaning nothing really defined) opposition to the evolving "CAP Culture". However, organizational culture is something that is serious. As Lt Col Critelli put it, "Mission defines culture".

Is that correct for CAP? Does our mission define our culture? Kind of, or at least that may be the case in Iowa. That isn't a flame. The Iowa Wing has been able to develop a culture based off of the mission throughout the wing due to the increased wing-wide participation.

For the rest of the nation, I've found there is no one "CAP Culture". There seems to be a loose confederation of cultures throughout CAP. The interaction between members from across the nation is relatively minimal in the context of fostering organizational culture. For a few of the squadrons in my group, they have very distinct organizational cultures from eachother and they are only a two hour drive apart.

Within one squadron, I can see two very distinct cultures forming within the unit. So if there is a "CAP Culture", it would be based on volunteerism. How do we move that to foster one towards one of professionalism nationally?

[ZigZag911]

Within one squadron, I can see two very distinct cultures forming within the unit. So if there is a "CAP Culture", it would be based on volunteerism. How do we move that to foster one towards one of professionalism nationally?

Some suggestions that each of us can do immediately:

Step 1 --  treat one another with the same respect we desire

Step 2 --  recognize that there is more to CAP than our own field of interest or involvement

It's not much, but it's a beginning...

[SARMedTech]

Within one squadron, I can see two very distinct cultures forming within the unit. So if there is a "CAP Culture", it would be based on volunteerism. How do we move that to foster one towards one of professionalism nationally?

Some suggestions that each of us can do immediately:

Step 1 --  treat one another with the same respect we desire

Step 2 --  recognize that there is more to CAP than our own field of interest or involvement

It's not much, but it's a beginning...

Well said, indeed. I would only add that we need to have respect for each others ways of participating. If I chose ES, I may not give a rats hat about AE or CP, but I respect that others do. It gets tiring being a ground pounder and being insulted by pilots because I dont fly. We are all part of what makes this thing work...what we need is simple, common respect.